Guided wave communication system with interference mitigation and methods for use therewith

Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a transmission device includes a receiver configured to receive an interfering signal via an antenna. A controller is configured to select a subset of a plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks, based on the interfering signal, to mitigate an interference with a distributed antenna system. A transmitter is configured to generate electromagnetic signals conveying data, in accordance with the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks. A coupler is configured to generate guided electromagnetic waves in response to the electromagnetic signals, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves propagate, without requiring an electrical return path, along a surface of a transmission medium of a distributed antenna system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A transmission device comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive an interfering signal via an antenna; 
 a controller configured to select a subset of a plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks, based on the interfering signal, to mitigate an interference with a distributed antenna system, wherein the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks excludes at least one first frequency channel that overlaps with a frequency of the interfering signal, and the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks further excludes at least one second frequency channel that overlaps an expected pairing frequency, wherein the expected pairing frequency is associated with the frequency of the interfering signal but differs from the frequency of the interfering signal, and wherein the at least one second frequency channel differs from the at least one first frequency channel; 
 a transmitter configured to generate electromagnetic signals conveying data, in accordance with the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks; and 
 a coupler configured to generate guided electromagnetic waves in response to the electromagnetic signals, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves propagate, without requiring an electrical return path, along a surface of a transmission medium of the distributed antenna system. 
 
     
     
       2. The transmission device of  claim 1 , wherein the interfering signal corresponds to a transmission by a mobile device to a base station. 
     
     
       3. The transmission device of  claim 2 , wherein the expected pairing frequency is identified based on the frequency of the interfering signal and a database of standard upstream and downstream frequency pairings. 
     
     
       4. The transmission device of  claim 2 , wherein the expected pairing frequency is identified via a look-up table that contains standard upstream and downstream frequency pairings. 
     
     
       5. The transmission device of  claim 1 , wherein the transmission medium is a power line, wherein the transmission device is a waveguide system coupled to the power line. 
     
     
       6. The transmission device of  claim 1 , wherein the interfering signal corresponds to a transmission by a first mobile device to a first base station and wherein the distributed antenna system is coupled to a second base station. 
     
     
       7. The transmission device of  claim 6 , wherein the receiver and the antenna are further configured to facilitate communications between a second mobile device and the second base station via the distributed antenna system. 
     
     
       8. The transmission device of  claim 1 , wherein the guided electromagnetic waves are directed to another transmission device of the distributed antenna system, and wherein the another transmission device is configured to receive at least a portion of the guided electromagnetic waves via the transmission medium. 
     
     
       9. The transmission device of  claim 1 , wherein the transmission medium is a bare or insulated wire. 
     
     
       10. The transmission device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks corresponds to a microwave frequency band and wherein the interfering signal has a frequency in a fourth generation wireless frequency band. 
     
     
       11. A method comprising:
 wirelessly receiving an interfering signal via an antenna; 
 selecting a subset of a plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks, based on the interfering signal, wherein the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks excludes at least one first frequency channel that overlaps with a frequency of the interfering signal, and the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks further excludes at least one second frequency channel that overlaps an expected pairing frequency, wherein the expected pairing frequency is associated with the frequency of the interfering signal but differs from the frequency of the interfering signal, and wherein the at least one second frequency channel differs from the at least one first frequency channel; 
 generating electromagnetic signals conveying data, in accordance with the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks; and 
 generating guided electromagnetic waves in response to the electromagnetic signals, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves propagate along a surface of a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the interfering signal corresponds to a transmission by a mobile device to a base station. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the expected pairing frequency is identified via a look-up table that contains standard upstream and downstream frequency pairings. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining, based on the frequency of the interfering signal, a frequency of transmission by the base station to the mobile device. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the transmission medium is a power line. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving communication signals conveying the data from a first base station; 
 wherein the generating the electromagnetic signals is responsive to the communication signals; and 
 wherein the interfering signal corresponds to a transmission by a first mobile device to a second base station. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 facilitating communications between a second mobile device and the first base station via the antenna. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the guided electromagnetic waves are directed to a transmission device of a distributed antenna system, and wherein the transmission device is configured to receive at least a portion of the guided electromagnetic waves via the transmission medium. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the transmission medium is a bare or insulated wire. 
     
     
       20. A transmission device comprising:
 means for wirelessly receiving an interfering signal via an antenna; 
 means for selecting a subset of a plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks, based on the interfering signal, wherein the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks excludes at least one first frequency channel that overlaps with a frequency of the interfering signal, and the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks further excludes at least one second frequency channel that overlaps an expected pairing frequency, wherein the expected pairing frequency is associated with the frequency of the interfering signal but differs from the frequency of the interfering signal, and wherein the at least one second frequency channel differs from the at least one first frequency channel; 
 means for generating electromagnetic signals conveying data, in accordance with the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks; and 
 means for generating guided electromagnetic waves in response to the electromagnetic signals, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves propagate along a surface of a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.